james otis the pre-revolutionist-第18章

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dence　as　chairman　of　the　House　Committee　of　the　Legislature　on　subjects　relating　to　the　weal　of　the　whole　country。　　Nor　were　his　duties　confined　to　these　matters　alone；　for　we　find　him　at　this　period　engaged　in　controversies　first　with　Governor　Hutchinson；　and　then　with　his　successor；　Governor　Bernard；　both　of　whom　deemed　Otis　an　arch…rebel　and　incendiarya　man　not　only　without　the　pale　of　considerate　treatment　by　lawfully　constituted　authority　in　the　Colonies；　but　the　object　of　contumely　and　loathing　by　the　obsequious　loyalists　of　the　Motherland　and　all　who　desired　her　continued　dominance　and　supremacy　in　the　country。　　History　has　happily　long　since　done　justice　to　James　Otis　and　seen　him　in　a　fairer　and　far　more　worthy　lightthe　light　not　only　of　a　patriot　lover　of　liberty；　but　an　ardent　and　invincible　defender　of　his　country　against　autocratic　encroachment；　and　a　fearless　asserter　of　the　principles　which　have　become　the　foundation　stone　of　the　American　nation。　　In　his　masterful　way；　Otis　was　at　times　heedlessly　bitter　and　inveterate　in　his　prejudices　against　the　mother　country　and　the　King's　officers　in　the　Colony；　but　we　must　remember　the　strength　as　well　as　the　ardor　of　his　affection　for　his　native　land　and　the　righteousness　of　the　cause　he　lovingly　espoused　and　so　nobly　advocated。　　We　must　remember　also　the　antagonisms　he　naturally　aroused；　and　the　hatreds　of　which　he　was　the　object；　on　the　part　of　loyal　authority　in　the　Colony　which　feared　while　it　traduced　him。　　This　is　shown　in　the　mishap　that　befell　him　in　a　British　coffeehouse　in　Boston；　where　he　was　roughly　assaulted　by　a　man　named　Robinson；　an　ally　of　the　revenue　officers　whom　he　had　denounced　in　an　article　in　the　Boston　Gazette；　an　attack　that　left　its　traces　in　the　mental　ailment　which　afterwards　distressingly　incapacitated　him　and　shortened　his　bright　public　career。　　He　nevertheless　lived　to　see　the　fruition　of　his　hopes；　in　the　throwing　off　by　the　Colonies　of　all　allegiance　to　Britain　and　take　part　himself　in　the　battle　of　Bunker　Hill。　　The　harvest　reaped　by　his　country　from　the　seeds　of　liberty　he　had　planted　in　his　day　was　such　as　might　well　cheer　him　in　the　period　of　mental　darkness　which　fell　upon　him　and　regretfully　clouded　his　closing　years。　　Nor　was　he；　in　his　own　era；　without　regard　and　honor　among　those　who　delighted　in　his　splendid　patriotism；　in　the　days　of　his　manly　strength；　mental　as　well　as　physical；　and　who　held　him　in　high　esteem　as　a　patriot　orator　and　the　staunchly　loyal　tribune　of　the　New　World　peoples。　　In　these　days　of　flaccid　patriotism　and　moral　declension　in　public　life；　his　example　may　well　stimulate　and　inspire。　　In　his　wholehearted　devotion　to　the　hopes　as　well　as　to　the　interests　of　the　Colonies　most　notable　was　the　polemical　fervor　with　which　he　espoused　their　cause　and　noble　the　stand　he　took　for　liberty　and　independence。

Like　many　men　who　have　attained　eminence　in　public　life；　James　Otis　was　the　victim　in　his　day　of　detraction　and　envy。　　A　specially　malignant　slander　was　current　with　reference　to　him　and　his　father　at　the　period　of　the　patriot's　resigning　his　Crown　post　of　Advocate…General。　　The　motive　for　throwing　up　his　appointment　and　pleading　the　people's　cause　against　the　Writs　of　Assistance；　it　was　at　the　time　said；　was　the　disappointment　of　the　Otis　family　at　the　Chief…Justiceship；　then　vacant；　going　to　Governor　Hutchinson　instead　of　to　Colonel　James　Otis　of　Barnstable；　father　of　our　hero。　　This　aspersion　of　the　fair　name　of　the　Otises　as　patriots　and　high…minded　gentlemen；　and　the　lying　assertion　that　it　was　this　disappointment　that　led　the　Otises；　father　and　son；　to　abandon　the　Crown's　side　for　that　of　the　people；　was　cruelly　false；　and　especially　so　as　Hutchinson；　who　got　the　post；　repeats　the　falsehood　in　his　〃History　of　Massachusetts〃　in　explanation　of　the　Otises　turning　their　coats　and　becoming　partisans　of　the　popular　cause。　　Nothing　could　well　be　more　unjust　and　untrue；　for　both　men　were　of　far　too　honorable　a　character　and　too　ardently　patriotic　to　justify　the　slander　and　give　even　the　slightest　color　to　the　misrepresentation。　　Were　it　necessary　more　emphatically　to　characterize　the　slander　as　false；　one　might　confidently　point　to　the　happy　relations　of　the　Otises　with　the　other　patriots　of　the　timeto　men　of　the　stamp　of　the　two　Adams　statesmen；　to　Hancock；　Randolph；　Warren；　and　other　leaders　of　the　Revolutionary　era；　as　well　as　to　the　contemporary　repute　and　influence　of　both　men　in　the　heroic　annals　of　the　Colonial　period。　　The　times　were　indeed　trying　and　critical；　and　at　the　outset　of　the　movement　for　independence　and　relief　from　the　irritating　aggressions　of　the　Crown；　the　attitude；　we　may　be　sure；　was　closely　watched　and　not　over　truthfully　reported；　of　men　of　influence　who　took　the　patriot　side　and　helped　on　the　great　cause　which　was　afterwards　to　be　gloriously　and　triumphantly　crowned。

But　we　pass　on　to　relate；　in　a　few　brief　words；　what　remains　yet　to　be　told　of　James　Otis's　career；　and　of　the　pathetic　declining　days　of　the　hero　and　his　tragic　end。　　While　mind　and　body　were　intact　and　working　perfectly　in　unison；　Otis　continued　to　give　himself　heart　and　soul　to　the　cause　he　had　so　patriotically　and　zealously　espoused。　　Even　when　his　malady　showed　itself；　there　were　brief　returns　of　useful　activity　and　old…time　mental　alertness；　only；　however；　to　be　followed　by　sad　relapses　into　the　eclipse…period　of　his　powers。　　At　periods　of　respite　from　his　ailment；　Otis　took　part　fitfully　in　his　duties　as　member　of　the　Massachusetts　Legislature；　of　which　body　he　had　been　Speaker；　and　did　what　he　could　to　further　the　work　of　legislation。　　He　also　at　this　time　appeared　once　or　twice　as　an　advocate　in　Court；　and　also　continued　his　correspondence　in　Committee　of　the　General　Assembly　with　prominent　men　in　the　other　Colonies；　seeking　successfully　cooperation　with　them　in　the　great　drama　of　the　time。　　But　for　the　most　part　we　now　find　him　a　considerately　cared…for　guest　of　his　old…time　friend；　Colonel　Samuel　Osgood；　at　the　latter's　farmhouse　at　Andover。　　Here　the　distinguished　pre…Revolutionist　had　phenomenal　premonitions　of　the　coming　manner　of　his　death；　related　to　his　sister；　Mrs。　Warren；　to　whom　the　patriot　on　more　than　one　occasion　said；　that　when　God　in　his　Providence　should　take　him　hence　into　the　eternal　world；　he　hoped　it　would　be　by　a　stroke　of　lightning！　　This　tragic　fate　was　ere　long　to　be　his；　for　on　the　afternoon　of　May　23rd；　1783；　when　Otis　was　standing　amid　a　family　group　at　the　door　of　the　Osgood　homestead　at　Andover；　a　bolt　from　the　blue　flashed　down　from　aloft　and　felled　the　hero　to　the　ground。　　Death　was　instantaneous；　and　happily　it　left　no　mark　or　contortion　on　his　body；　while　his　features　had　the　repose　and　placidity　of　seeming　sleep。　　Thus　passed　the　hero　from　the　scenes　of　earth；　and　in　a　sense　fitly；　for　the　period　was　that　which　saw　the　close　of　the　drama　of　the　Revolution　he　had　been　instrumental　in　bringing　about；　and　the　departure　from　the　soil　of　the　new…born　Republic　of　the　last　of　the　English　soldiery。

＇3＇Historian；　Biographer；　Essayist；　Author　of　a　〃Precis　of　English　History；〃　a　〃Continuation　of　Grecian　History；〃　etc。；　and　for　many　years　Editor　of　Self…Culture　Magazine。The　Publishers。


JAMES　0TIS　ON　THE　WRITS　0F　ASSISTANCE　February；　1761。

May　it　please　your　Honours：　I　was　desired　by　one　of　the　court　to　look　into　the　（law）　books；　and　consider　the　question　now　before　them　concerning　Writs　of　Assistance。　　I　have　accordingly　considered　it；　and　now　appear　not　only　in　obedience　to　your　order；　but　likewise　in　behalf　of　the　inhabitants　of　this　town；　who　have　presented　another　petition；　and　out　of　regard　to　the　liberties　of　the　subject。　　And　I　take　this　opportunity　to　declare　that　whether　under　a　fee　or　not　（for　in　such　a　cause　as　this　I　despise　a　fee）　I　will　to　my　dying　day　oppose；　with　all　the　powers　and　faculties　God　has　given　me；　all　such　instruments　of　slavery　on　the　one　hand　and　villainly　on　the　other；　as　this　Writ　of　Assistance　is。

It　appears　to　me　the　worst　instrument　of　arbitrary　power；　the　most　destructive　of　English　liberty　and　the　fundamental　principles　of　law　that　ever　was　found　in　an　English　lawbook。　　I　must　therefore　beg　your　Honours'　patience　and　attention　to　the　whole　range　of　an　argument　that　may　perhaps　appear　uncommon　in　many　things；　as　well　as　to　points　of　learning　that　are　more　remote　and　unusual；　that　the　whole　tendency　of　my　design　may　the　more　easily　be　perceived；　the　conclusions　better　descend；　and　the　force　of　them　be　better　felt。　　I　shall　not　think　much　of　my　pains　in　this　cause；　as　I　engaged　in　it　from　principle。　　I　was　solicited　to　argue　this　case　as　Advocate…General；　and；　because　I　would　not；　I　have　been　charged　with　desertion　from　my　office。　　To　this　charge　I　can　give　a　very　sufficient　answer。　　I　renounced　that　office　and　I　argue　this　cause　from　the　same　principle；　and　I　argue　it　with　the　greatest　pleasure；　as　it　is　in　favour　of　British　liberty；　at　a　time　when　we　hear　the　greatest　monarch　upon　earth　declaring　from　his　throne　that　he　glories　in　the　name　of　Briton　and　that　the　privileges　of　his　people　are　dearer　to　him　than　the　most　valuable　prerogatives　of　his　crown；　and　as　it　is　in　opposition　to　a　kind　of　power；　the　exercise　of　which　in　former　periods　of　history　cost　one　king　of　England　his　head　and　another　his　crown；　I　have　taken　more　pains　in　this　cause　than　I　ever　will　take　again；　although　my　engaging　in　this　and　another　popular　cause　has　raised　much　resentment。　　But　I　think　I　can　sincerely　declare　that　I　cheerfully　submit　myself　to　every　odious　name　for　conscience'　sake；　and　from　my　soul　I　despise　all　those　whose　guilt；　malice；　or　folly　has　made　them　my　foes。　　Let　the　consequences　be　what　they　will；　I　am　determined　to　proceed。　　The　only　principles　of　public　conduct　that　are　worthy　of　a　gentleman　or　a　man　are　to　sacrifice　estate；　ease；　health；　and　applause；　and　even　life；　to　the　sacred　calls　of　his　country。　　These　manly　sentiments；　in　private　life；　make　good　citizens；　in　public　life；　the　patriot　and　the　hero。　　I　do　not　say　that；　when　brought　to　the　test；　I　shall　be　invincible。　　I　pray　God　I　may　never　be　brought　to　the　melancholy　trial；　but　if　ever　I　should；　it　will　then　be　known　how　far　I　can　reduce　to　practice　principles　which　I　know　to　be　founded　in　truth。　　In　the　meantime；　I　will　proceed　to　the　subject　of　this　writ。

In　the　first　place；　may　it　please　your　honours；　I　will　admit　that　writs　of　one　kind　may　be　legal；　that　is；　special　writs；　directed　to　special　officers；　and　to　search　certain　houses；　etc。；　specially　set　forth　in　the　writ；　may　be　granted　by　the　Court　of　Exchequer　at　home；　upon　oath　made　before　the　Lord　Treasurer　by　the　person　who　asks　it；　that　he　suspects　such　goods　to　be　concealed　in　those　very　places　he　desires　to　search。　　The　Act　of　14　Charles　II。；　which　Mr。　Gridley＇4＇　mentions；　proves　this。　　And　in　this　light　the　writ　appears　like　a　warrant　from　a　Justice　of　the　Peace　to　search　for　stolen　goods。　　Your　honours　will　find　in　the　old　books　concerning　the　office　of　a　Justice　of　the　Peace；　precedents　of　general　warrants　to　search　suspected　houses。　　But　in　more　modern　books　you　will　find　only　special　warrants　to　search　such　and　such　houses；　specially　named；　in　which　the　complainant　has　before　sworn　that　he　suspects　his　goods　are　concealed；　and　will　find　it